Is Uber Responsible for Accidents in New Jersey?

Were you involved in an accident with an Uber driver? Whether as a passenger or another driver, you may wonder who will pay out the claim. Is Uber responsible for accidents? Not usually, but the company often assumes vicarious liability for its drivers when they are at fault in collisions.

Learn how the insurance process works after an Uber accident and identify the times when the rideshare company may be responsible.

Instances When Uber May Be Responsible for Accidents

Uber itself is usually not responsible for the accidents its drivers cause. While the company extends liability coverage to accidents involving an Uber driver, it does not often assume liability for crashes itself. It provides this insurance coverage as a way to protect itself against potential legal action.

However, there may be certain cases where Uber is partially or fully responsible for accidents. Examples may include:

• Negligent hiring: Uber acted negligently in hiring a driver who has a history of accidents, DUIs, or other dangerous driving behaviors.
• Negligent training: Uber failed to properly train the driver on how to safely accept rides and transport passengers.
• Negligent supervision: Uber failed to supervise a driver’s dangerous driving behaviors and stop them from transporting passengers.
• Policy issues: A company policy that Uber required the driver to follow led to the accident.
• App malfunctions: A problem with the Uber app led the driver to make a maneuver that caused an accident, such as errors in navigation instructions.

In each of these cases, the party pursuing a personal injury claim against Uber must prove that its negligence directly contributed to the accident and the consequential damages.

Determining Liability After an Uber Accident

Is Uber responsible for accidents? Uber may be vicariously liable for its drivers’ negligent driving activities, meaning it would extend liability insurance coverage to accidents caused by its drivers. Other times, another party may be partially or fully liable.

Potential liable parties in an Uber accident include:

• The Uber driver, for violating traffic laws or otherwise causing the crash
• Another driver who struck the Uber driver’s vehicle
• An Uber passenger, for distracting the driver or causing them to crash for another reason
• A third party, such as the local government, for failing to fix road hazards

The insurance companies involved in the accident are typically responsible for determining fault. In New Jersey, several parties may share partial liability for an accident. Each party’s percentage of fault affects the damages they can seek from other parties; any party more than 50% responsible for the accident is barred from seeking damages.

Who Pays for Uber Accidents?

While Uber is not often responsible for accidents, it extends rideshare liability coverage for accidents its drivers cause while they are actively driving for Uber.

If a driver is logged into the app and searching for a ride to accept, Uber extends the following coverage:

• $50,000 per person for bodily injuries
• $100,000 per accident for bodily injuries
• $25,000 per accident for property damage

The company may also maintain extra coverage, such as commercial insurance coverage or personal injury protection.

If a driver is actively transporting passengers or is en route to pick them up when they cause an accident, Uber’s insurance extends at least $1 million for property damage and injuries to passengers and third parties.

Meanwhile, if another driver caused the accident, Uber would typically tell the parties involved to exchange contact and insurance information and seek compensation through that driver’s insurance policy. If this third-party personal insurance does not fully cover the damages to the Uber driver and passengers, they may be able to seek additional coverage through an Uber insurance claim.

When Might Uber Not Cover Its Drivers’ Accidents?

Uber might not extend coverage for accidents its drivers cause when they are not actively driving for Uber. If the driver’s rideshare app was off or closed, Uber would assume they were using their car for personal reasons. The driver would typically need to use their personal auto insurance to cover the damage.

The company may also not provide Uber accident coverage in cases where its driver was acting recklessly or exhibited extreme negligence. For example, if the driver was driving under the influence or traveling at extreme speeds when the accident happened, Uber’s insurance may not extend coverage. Accident victims would generally need to file a claim with the driver’s personal insurance or seek legal action for additional damages.

Seek Legal Guidance for Rideshare Injury Claims

Understanding whether Uber is responsible for accidents and who pays out passenger injury claims can be complicated. Drivers and passengers involved in Uber accidents often benefit from working with an experienced Uber accident lawyer who can help them explore their legal rights and options.

The Law Offices of Peter N. Davis and Associates, LLC, has been representing accident victims in New Jersey for over 30 years. If you need an Uber car accident lawyer you can rely on, we are here to help. Schedule a FREE case review today by calling (973) 279-7246(973) 279-7246.

Copyright © 2025. The Law Offices of Peter N. Davis & Associates, LLC. All rights reserved.

The information in this blog post (“post”) is provided for general informational purposes only and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information in this post should be construed as legal advice from the individual author or the law firm, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting based on any information included in or accessible through this post without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer licensed in the recipient’s state, country, or other appropriate licensing jurisdiction.

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(973) 279-7246(973) 279-7246
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